The Publishing House
by vivialyn14
Summary: Anna, fresh out of university with an English degree, has set her eyes on the world of journalism - breaking out into the big wide world is a whole 'nother story. Caught up in the inner workings of the Westergard Publishing House, Anna finds herself at a crossroads in the lovelife she didn't even know existed.
1. Job Hunting

"More job hunting today, Anna?" came the morning greeting from Elsa sitting at the tiny round breakfast table. She crunched into a crisp, green apple as she scrolled through the daily newsfeed on her phone.

Anna yawned loudly, stretching her arms high up into the air. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't get the knots out of her shoulders that formed after sleeping on that lumpy mattress.

"If it means I don't have to spend the rest of my life sleeping on some old springs on your living room floor, of course more job hunting today," she groaned.

Rising from the barracks of duvet she had built for herself to shield her from the lack of heating, Anna made her way into the kitchen and flicked the tab on the kettle. It whined quietly for a few moments before rumbling slowly to the boil. Grabbing a mug from beside the sink, she poured herself a strong coffee.

"Careful," Elsa smirked without looking up from the screen of her smartphone, "caffeine is a dangerous game."

"There's no other way I can wake up from half a night's sleep on that thing," Anna mumbled, gesturing to her makeshift bed on the floor on the other side of the room.

Plonking herself down opposite Elsa at the table, Anna yawned again and ran her fingers loosely through her wild nest of bed hair. She noticed Elsa glance up and giggle, and Anna wondered how high her frizz had risen today.

"Where to, then?" Elsa said, finally putting her phone down on the table and looking her sister in the eye. "Anywhere in particular? Or just handing out CVs again?"

Anna just shrugged. She had been playing the hunting game for two weeks now with not a single call back. Just a sweet smile from the staff behind the desk, and a, "we'll let you know," at best.

"Don't give up hope, Anna," Elsa soothed. "Someone out there is going to hire you. Someone wanted to hire me, and I don't even have a degree!" She paused after a light-hearted chuckle, then saw Anna's helplessness plastered on her freckled morning face. Elsa tutted loudly. "Such a scowl!"

Anna's lips perked up at that, and a light blush emerged on her cheeks. "Says you, miss ice queen!" She retorted. Then, mocking her sister in an unnaturally high warble, "my name is Elsa! I don't want porridge for breakfast, I want ice cream!"

Elsa gave an exaggerated gasp. "Excuse me! I seem to recall that it was YOU who wanted strawberry ice cream for breakfast every morning!"

The two of them giggled and mocked each other in turn, laughing more at every increasingly ridiculous impression of the other. Soon, the girls were crying with laughter remembering their childhood together in silly voices.

A ping from Elsa's phone brought them back to the present. Anna snickered quietly in the background as she finished her coffee, which was now just lukewarm.

"I have to be at work in three hours. I think that's enough time to pass out your resume to a few places, don't you think, Anna? We can try out those office buildings on the other side of the city centre. I'm sure there is a desk job somewhere with your name on it."

Anna immediately felt regret as soon as she walked through the rotating glass doors. Glancing around sheepishly at the ladies in their pencil skirts and sleek black heels, it took almost all of her willpower not to turn around and race back to the car. The foyer was large and echoey, with marbled pillars and a slick tiled floor. There was a grand glass staircase to the left and Anna could see men in well-fitting suits dashing about, paperwork in hand.

Her black pumps squeaking on the polished floor, she walked up to the reception desk where a very generic-looking blonde was waiting for her, all pinned-back updo and red lipstick smile.

"Hi, hello," Anna stumbled. Why did she always find herself tongue-tied in moments like these? "Yes, uh…"

The blonde's expression was unmoving, polite, unreadable. Is she judging me? Anna thought.

"I was just wondering if you had - I have my CV here and thought maybe - I just recently graduated and am looking for -" Anna began, trying her hardest to finish her sentences. Her tongue became stiffer in her mouth the more she spoke, and soon she couldn't even understand the babble spilling from her lips. Eventually she could do nothing but swallow and thrust out the piece of paper detailing her life's accomplishments so far. Her face was burning, but she was trying her hardest to ignore it.

The lady behind the desk took the paper from Anna's trembling fingers and cast a glance at its contents.

"I will pass this on to HR for you," the receptionist chirped in an all-too-familiar voice.

Anna tried not to show her disappointment and frustration, biting her tongue and simply nodding her thanks. She turned to leave, staring down at her feet walking across the tiles, not caring at how squeaky her new shoes, that were not expensive fancy heels, were.

"I wouldn't have fit in here anyway," she mumbled to herself bitterly. "Stupid fancy posh place full of pretty blondes and - oof!"

Anna looked up, her eyes wide in surprise, at the man she had bumped into. He tutted loudly in annoyance and brushed down his suit.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going, it was totally my fault! I'm such a-"

The rest of her words died in her throat as the man looked back at her with an amused smirk and pale green eyes. Immediately she felt the fiery blush shoot up her neck and spread out onto her cheeks.

"Hello," he said slowly.

"Hello," Anna murmured in reply.

"And you are..?"

"Just leaving, actually," Anna said quickly. "Really sorry about that, I have a habit of not looking where I'm going. I'll work on that, of course, I guess, uh…"

"I meant your name," he chuckled back.

"Oh," she breathed. "Anna. I'm Anna."

"Are you new here, Anna? I haven't seen you around here before."

"No! No, no, no," Anna laughed awkwardly, searching for words. She tugged at her skirt before bringing her hands up to her left plait and twirling the ends of her hair in her fingers, suddenly all too aware of how close they were standing, confused as to why he hadn't moved away or why she hadn't stepped back yet. "I just, um, my CV - job hunting. Just graduated-"

"Mr. Westergard!" came a woman's voice from the balcony above. At this, he took a step past Anna and waved a hand up to the brunette standing by the railing.

For some reason, Anna felt the corners of her mouth turn down in a frown. She checked herself, straightening her blouse, and went to take a step further towards the exit when her acquaintance turned and called to her.

"Wait!" He placed a firm hand on her shoulder and she felt her breath hitch in her throat for a split second. "Anna," he said, softer, removing his hand quickly. The sound of her name in his rough voice, she was startled to notice, gave her a strange sensation that started in the pit of her stomach and rose to her chest, making her head feel lighter. "Just wait here a moment."

Anna watched, confused, as he went over to the reception desk and exchanged a few words with the blonde. She handed him a piece of paper - was that her CV? - and held it up, waving it at her. He shot her a reassuring grin, all gleaming white teeth, and winked, before rushing up the stairs and disappearing further into the building with the brunette.

Anna raised a disbelieving eyebrow, shaking her head. She felt the giggles rising in her throat as she turned and walked back to the car.


	2. Coffee

"Something will turn up," Elsa hummed optimistically as she carefully placed down Anna's mug of coffee in front of her.

Anna simply sighed, watching the wisps of steam from the hot drink rise up and then scatter at the touch of her breath. A soft tune played over the speakers in the cosy little coffee shop where she had come to visit her sister. Elsa put the tray away behind the counter and sat herself down across the table. Thursday mornings were always the easiest shift, and they had been pretty boring until Anna had started visiting her.

It pained her to see her sister looking so helpless. Elsa remembered when they were children growing up in the house that was far too big for her family of four. Anna had always been the little rascal of the two of them, pulling mischievous little acts when no one was looking, when she knew she would get away with it. All those years crying out for attention had surmounted to near enough nothing, causing Anna to move out of home completely to study on the other side of the country. Elsa herself had been tutored at home until she could bear it no longer, moving to the same city as Anna to be there for her when no one else was.

Anna had had a rather tough time at university. Being brought up with only a sister for a friend meant it was hard to make new ones when the situation called for it - and living in student halls was definitely a situation that called for it. As far as Anna had spoken about it, it had been close to a living hell.

But Anna rarely spoke about it.

"Maybe I could nag a little, see if they can't open up a vacancy for you here," Elsa suggested after several moments of Anna staring into her coffee.

"Is it my face?" Anna said, suddenly looking up at Elsa and staring firmly at her.

"What?" Elsa stumbled, taken aback at her sister's outburst.

"Do people just look at my face and think whoa, no, just wait a minute!"

"Anna," Elsa scolded.

"Or maybe it's just my voice," her sister continued to ramble, putting on an exaggerated nasal tone as she ranted, "maybe they just hear my voice and it's just soooo annoying, that -"

"Anna, stop it."

"- that they just can't wait to see the back of me. I bet they crumple up the paper as soon as I turn my back, and they -"

"Something bothering you?" a male voice chimed in.

Both sisters, startled, looked over to see a rugged smirking blonde at the next table. Elsa immediately stood up, rushing over to the counter to get her tray and notepad. For some reason, Anna also shot up from her seat, knocking the table with her legs, sending her coffee mug toppling over and its contents spilling out and onto the floor.

"Whoa!" the guy chuckled, picking his feet up off the floor to avoid the river of mocha that had started to trickle down beneath his work boots. "Steady there."

"Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry!" Anna cried a little too loudly. "You made me jump and I have no idea why I just did that and…" She patted down her jeans, noticing that her converse were soaked. "I'm really, _really_ -"

"Sorry, yeah," the blonde laughed.

Elsa tutted, rolling her eyes and rushing back to get a cloth.

"It's alright, I'm dry," he continued. "Your toes, on the other hand…"

"Oh! Oh, don't worry about it, honestly. It's fine," Anna replied, drawing out her words to sound as casual as possible. Though she tried to play it off smoothly, she held back a grimace as she wriggled her toes in her soggy socks. "It's fine."

"Can't take you anywhere," Elsa murmured, amused. She finished mopping up table, wiping the cloth gracefully over the surface. Anna almost found herself jealous at how her sister could placate any awkward situation with a flick of her dainty wrist.

"I'll have two of whatever she was drinking," he called over to Elsa, who was washing the cloth under the sink next to the coffee maker.

"What? You don't have to do that, honestly," Anna turned to him, waving her hand around.

"But you hadn't even started drinking it," he shrugged casually.

"Yeah, you know what? Maybe I don't even want coffee anymore. Maybe I should just stay away from spillable substances and tables and coffee shops and -"

"I'm Kris."

Anna stopped in her tracks and stared, finally taking in the man's grey cotton t-shirt and jeans, his square jaw and broad shoulders. He had deep brown eyes and his hair was lazily ruffled.

"As in Kristoff, not Christopher," he added, a slow smile spreading across his lips.

"Christopher," Anna mumbled. "Kris, Kristoff. Yeah, Kris." Then she caught him staring right back at her and she snapped back to the present. "I'm Anna."

Elsa came over and put her tray down in the middle of the table. Kris shuffled his chair over to sit beside Anna. He picked up both of the mugs like they weren't ceramic pots holding boiling liquid, waiting for Elsa to remove the tray beneath them. Then he set one mug down in front of him and the other in the middle of the table, a playfully mocking distance away from Anna.

"Try not to spill this one then, Anna," he said.

That evening, Anna lay back on her mattress staring at the ceiling. She huddled up inside the duvet, bringing it right up to her nose, as she considered where she could hand her CV in to next. It felt like she had been to practically every business in the city.

Then she remembered walking into Westergard Publishing House earlier in the week and seeing that man in the suit actually take her CV with him before disappearing up the stairs. A spark of excitement piped up in her chest. And - hold on a second. That brunette had called him _Mr. Westergard._ He was… wait…

Her phone was ringing. She reached her hand up onto the sofa and groped around on the cushions for it, bringing it lazily to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Miss Anna Arendelle?"

"Yes, that's me," she replied, putting on her most chipper voice.

"Hello, Anna, it's Hans Westergard."

At this, Anna excitedly bolted up out of the duvet, desperately trying to hold back a squeal. Then she checked herself, making sure not to get her hopes up too much. Maybe he was calling to let her know not to expect another call from him.

"I'm just calling about your CV."

She peeled her bottom lip away from her top teeth, twirling a strand of hair with her forefinger on her free hand. "Mhm?"

"There are a few things that I would like to discuss further. Shall we settle a date?"

Anna silently punched the air.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes," she paced quickly across the linoleum floor of the kitchen. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Elsa peek her head out from her bedroom door, one eyebrow raised in a question. Anna gave her sister a grin before going back to pacing.

"I mean, yes, I'd love to. Sure, okay. Yes." If she had worried about coming across as professional, there was reining it back in now.

She heard a breathy chuckle on the other side of the line - and felt something strange pull in her chest.

"Alright," came the strictly-business voice. Or was there something else behind that tone?

"Tomorrow, one p.m., my office."

"Yes, okay. Sounds good." Anna bit her tongue before she repeated herself any more in her excitement. "I'll be there," she added after a second.

There was a click and the line fell silent. Anna tentatively pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the screen. Had he just hung up on her? _What_? She shook her head of the thoughts, putting it down to business. It was just business. She almost rolled her eyes at herself.

"Well?" Elsa's voice came from behind her.

Anna spun round on her heels and launched herself at her sister.

"Tomorrow! The job - publishing - one p.m.!"

"An interview?" Elsa laughed at her sister's garbled words.

"Yes! Yeah. Something like that, I think."


	3. Go Time

Anna sat as patiently as she could on the firm leather sofa to the left of the door to Mr. Westergard's office. The butterflies in her stomach were threatening to flutter right out of her throat as she nervously twirled a strand of hair between her thumb and forefinger. What was he going to ask her? She hoped she hadn't straight up lied about anything in her CV – Elsa had advised maybe exaggerating the good points a little, but Anna was nervous the interview was going to prove tougher than she first thought. What if he asked her something she didn't even realise was a thing? What exactly was on her CV that he needed clarification for?

Suddenly the door to the office creaked open just a touch.

"Yes, yes, of course, Sir," came a woman's voice. She had a comfortable laugh on her voice, like she was exchanging pleasantries with an old friend. "I'll have that to you by five. And I'll tell them to reschedule tomorrow for next Wednesday." She opened the door further, revealing herself to be the tall brunette Anna had seen earlier in the week. She was wearing a tight pencil skirt that hovered just above her knees and black killer heels. Her blouse was neatly tucked into the skirt, accentuating her slim figure. Anna held back a pout.

Then he appeared at the doorway, watching the brunette leave for a moment before finding his way down to Anna sitting there, staring up at him with those deep blue eyes. Then Hans noticed her bottom lip folded into her teeth, and those freckles peppering her rosy cheeks. He felt his lips turn up in a half-smile.

"If you'd like to come through," he said.

Anna stood as gracefully as she could – though she still felt like a giraffe finding its legs – and made her way past Mr. Westergard and into the office. It was neatly decorated, with bookshelves lining the right wall and a stack of filing cabinets on the left. The back of the office was taken up by a breath-taking panoramic view of the city from the fourteenth floor.

"Wow," Anna breathed involuntarily at the sight.

"It's cosy," Mr. Westergard replied casually. "You get used to the view."

He sat down behind his desk and Anna took a seat in the armchair in front of it. She crossed one leg over the other, arranging her skirt neatly over her knees by way of delaying having to look him in the face; she had given up on trying to hide her nervous blush.

"So, first things first," he began, after a few moments shuffling around the papers on his desk. "How are you, Anna?"

Anna was completely taken off guard by this question. She could feel her eyes widening but could do nothing to stop it – a deer in the headlights.

"Uh, yeah," she attempted. "Yes, good. Good, me. I'm fine." Then, "thank you."

"Good," he said, holding back a chuckle – and the urge to correct her: thank you, _Sir_.

Anna noticed his face fall a little and his eyes grow distant for a split second, and she instantly panicked.

"Uh, how are you? Of course, how are _you_?" The words tumbled out of her mouth, decorated with a few awkward laughs.

"I'm well, thank you."

"Oh, good, good," she laughed anxiously. "Good."

There was a moment of awkward silence between the two of them, Anna not knowing what to say or to expect, the man opposite her emanating power from his expensive leather office chair. Then he looked down at the papers on his desk, and Anna watched as his eyes scanned through the text quickly from the top of the page to the bottom in a matter of seconds.

"What drove you to hand in your CV?"

Uh oh.

_I was just handing out my CV everywhere because I need a job. My sister recommended I try here because I've tried everywhere else in this darn city and no one wants to hire me. I've just come out with a mortar board and top-class marks but people turn me down because I'm awkward and I talk too much and I get myself into situations where I can't answer questions properly and-_

"I've heard good things about this House. And I love reading and editing and writing," she answered, putting on her most professional-sounding voice. "I had columns in the university paper."

"Yes, congratulations on your degree. Impressive marks."

"Thank you," Anna beamed, feeling her chest filled with pride. She had worked hard for that First, but the only person who had ever complimented her on it had been Elsa. "I'm hoping to pursue that area further, actually. I'm interested the most in writing – fiction, non-fiction, journals, articles, websites, blogs –" and now the information was pouring out of her mouth, filling every corner of the room with the plans she had cemented into her head all those hours of sleep lost to the uncomfortable mattress on the living room floor. "– and I love meeting people and interacting and taking interviews, so I think journalism would really suit me well because those social situations are just where I want to be – I mean, who doesn't?!"

Pausing for breath, Anna realised she had spoken far too much. There was a spark in Mr. Westergard's eye – was that _amusement_? She bit down on her bottom lip and looked down at her hands in her lap.

"Enthusiasm and passion are admirable traits," he said, the smile still playing out in his words. "Do you see yourself working here, Anna?"

Anna's eyes darted back up to look him in the face. Was this it?

"Of course," she chimed, trying not to sound too over-enthusiastic. "I mean, if you'll have me."

Hans felt his whole body tense at these words. He set his jaw firmly to try and hide how deep her innocence was working its way under his skin. She was so young, so… _pure_. He was having a hard time controlling his imagination, his breathing, his hands. Honestly, he only brought her here to take a closer look. It had been so long since he'd met any girl that fit his profile quite like Anna Arendelle.

"Gladly," he said.

Elsa heard the keys turn in the lock and she turned her head to see Anna leap through the front door and into the living room.

"I got it!" she cried. "I got the job! He hired me!"

Elsa sprang up from the sofa, abandoning the remote and almost spilling her mug of coffee that she'd left on the floor beside her.

"Yes! That's great!" she cheered. "Congratulations!"

Anna hopped over and threw her arms around her sister. Elsa squeezed her back, the both of them giggling with delight.

"I start on Monday," Anna said after they'd finally broken away from each other and calmed down.

"Wow," Elsa breathed. "I told you something would show up! Didn't I tell you?!"

Anna tutted in mock frustration. "You were just saying that to cheer me up – you can't tell the future!" She stuck out her tongue playfully. "Anyway, let's celebrate! Let's throw a party, or go out or – _something_!"

"Oh, Anna, no!" Elsa groaned. "You know parties aren't my thing."

"But Elsa," Anna whined back.

"Who would we even invite?! I only have one friend."

"I'm sure Olaf would _love_ to come."

Elsa gave a groan of reluctance, which then turned into a drawn-out sigh when she saw Anna's pout.

"Fine," Elsa said, holding back a smirk. "I'll see if he's around." She turned her eyes down to her phone and tapped the screen a few times. Then she looked back up at Anna and blinked at her expectantly.

"Well?!" She sang, grinning.

"Well what?" Anna's eyes darted around quickly, confused as to what Elsa was waiting for.

"Are you going to invite your new friend, then? The one you spilled coffee over yesterday?"

"Him?! He's not _my new friend_, Elsa. I don't know him at all! He won't want to come."

"Oh, shut up, Anna. I saw the way you two were looking at each other."

"Are you _serious?!_" Anna cried. "No way."

Elsa had settled into a fit of giggles. "Well, he gave you his number, didn't he?"

Anna tutted, unable to come up with anything to say back, because it was true: he had given her his number. Elsa shrugged with a told-you-so smile, still giggling, and disappeared into her room. Anna walked over to the door where she'd deposited her bag, reached in for her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she saw his name.

Kristoff Bjorgman.

After he'd bought her a replacement coffee, he'd asked her name and _how are you? _and _what's your story?_, but he'd given very little away about himself. Just that he was a contract worker renovating a small business nearby, with very little family and even fewer close friends. The wallpaper on his phone had been a picture of a golden retriever. Anna couldn't remember what he'd called the dog, but she remembered that it was his. She also remembered how similar the dog's eyes were to his owner's: a light brown – amber, almost – and rather… sad. "We have each other, and that's enough for us," he'd said.

Tutting again, Anna open up her texting app and selected his name. He was probably busy, anyway.

_Hey!_, she typed. Then paused. She was inviting him out for a casual evening, a small social gathering. Not too formal, but definitely not too _informal_. She barely knew the guy. She erased the exclamation mark. Then she put it back. Then she sighed.

_Just wondered if you were free this evening_, she began.

Then deleted it.

_It's Anna. We are celebrating!_

Delete.

_Drinks? Tonight? A celebration._

Delete.

_I got a job! We are going out tonight for a small celebration._

Delete.

On the verge of giving up, she quickly tapped in the words and then hit send as soon as she could. Of course, she instantly regretted it once she saw what she had typed. Groaning, she collapsed back onto the sofa, covering her arm with her face.

_Hey! Let's go out for a drink tonight. Anna._


	4. Drinks

Olaf held the button for as long as he dared before hearing Elsa snap down the intercom.

"It's unlocked, just come up already!"

Elsa stood at the mirror by the front door, adjusting her updo. She twirled the strands around her face, arranging them neatly to the side. Olaf burst through the door.

"It's party time!" he sang loudly. "Or so I hear," he added, noticing Elsa's unimpressed face.

"Come on, Anna, you said you would be ready five minutes ago!"

"Almost done!"

Anna was having trouble deciding whether to just wear a plain moss-green casual dress or to put on that never-been-worn royal blue cocktail dress she'd bought when her first student loan paycheck had come in. This was, of course, the perfect time to try it out, but she didn't want to look overdressed.

"It's just a bar," Elsa called from the living room. "Not a ball!"

Her sister was right. She slipped on the green dress, smoothing down the hem that rested in the middle of her thighs. This dress had certainly gotten a few inches shorter since the last time she wore it. Then again, the last time she wore it was a couple of years ago at the only party she went to in her second year. That had been a mistake.

"Okay," she said under her breath, to herself. Then, louder, "Okay! I'm ready."

She stepped out of her room to see Elsa sitting on the sofa and Olaf sat beside her, fiddling with the back of her hair. Elsa immediately stood up, giving a big sigh and smiling broadly.

"You look great," she said to Anna.

"Thanks," Anna replied sheepishly.

"Shall we go then, ladies?"

"Yes! Yes, let's – oh..." Anna poked her head into her room quickly and snatched up her bag that was hanging on the bedpost. She peeked in to check she had everything: phone, keys, money, ID. "Okay. Let's go."

The three of them left the flat, Elsa turning off the lights and locking the door behind them. They walked down a few steps to wait for the lift, standing in companionable silence for a few moments before a _ping_ and the rumbling of the sliding doors opening, welcoming them into the small metal box. Olaf led the way, settling himself into the corner. When the doors shut behind them, they listened to the clanking and the whining of the machinery taking them to the ground floor.

"I've never seen you wear a dress that short," Elsa murmured.

"I've only worn it once," Anna replied quietly, not wanting to dredge up the memories of her first years at university. She hadn't struggled to make friends, but it hadn't been easy having left home with those emotions that kept her awake at night listening to her flatmates yelling and drinking and smashing things in the kitchen and laughing about it. It was the thought of being second best to her closest friend that kept her there, away from living in the shadow of her sister in her parents' eyes.

The rest of the ride down to the ground floor was quiet, until the doors open to reveal the grimy stairwell. There was a woman, thin and tired-looking, waiting for the lift. She stepped past them and into the lift. Olaf pushed open the main door and the girls stepped outside into the September air.

"It's only a few streets away," Elsa said. "It'll take five minutes, don't worry."

"I love this weather," Olaf chimed, doing a twirl with his arms in the air.

"There _is _no weather, Olaf," Anna giggled.

"Sure there is! Feel that cool air, the occasional breeze. Autumn is in full swing, you can smell the damp of the first leaves…"

"Let's go, before he gets high off oxygen or something." Elsa looped her arm through his and the three of them strolled down the street.

The bar was a cosy establishment. Anna could smell the fresh varnish on the tables and the carpet was soft underfoot. There weren't so many people there yet – it was only eight. She eyed the selection of alcohol hanging from the wall behind the barman, plus the mini fridges of bottles by his legs. The arms for the beers stood upright, tall and shining new. It was fresh, but homely.

Anna scooted into the booth and Olaf got up to get the first round. The sisters had gone out together before for a social drink, but Olaf was usually the one to persuade them to have alcohol. This time they had just asked for cola, but were sure Olaf would add his own best-buddy spin.

"So, Monday, huh?" Elsa nudged Anna playfully.

"Yeah," she said. "Crazy. I mean, that I got a job at all. I can't wait, of course."

"Do you even know anything about the House?"

Anna felt her prize-winning socially-awkward smile spread across her face.

"Of course not," she giggled nibbling on the straw in her drink.

"I've heard Westergard stays out of the public eye as much as possible because he has some pretty dark secrets," Olaf breathed dramatically.

"Oh, shut up," Elsa laughed.

"No, really! Why do you think you never see him in the papers?"

"He's not a celebrity, Olaf," Anna said, rolling her eyes. "He's not going to be in the papers. He just owns a successful publishing house."

"Think what you want," he replied. "I know what I know."

The trio laughed at Olaf twitching his eyebrows and tapping his nose.

"Well, we have our fingers crossed for you anyway," he finished. "Congrats."

"Thanks, Olaf," Anna said, smiling sweetly. He raised his drink, and Anna and Elsa raised theirs in response.

"So where is your friend?" Elsa said, smirking.

Anna rolled her eyes.

"I don't know," she mumbled. "He seemed interested at first and asked where we were going and then he just stopped replying. He's probably busy."

"Hm," Elsa responded.

"Who is this?" Olaf said, straw between his teeth.

"Just this guy –"

"That she pretty much scalded with coffee, Olaf – a simple hello would have sufficed!" Elsa burst out laughing and Anna cast her a sideways glance of annoyance.

"It was an accident," she told Olaf pointedly. "I didn't _mean _to spill the coffee, obviously, but I didn't even get any on him. _She_ –" she explained, gesturing her shoulder over in Elsa's direction "– thought it was hilarious! It was _so _awkward, and my socks were just soaked and it was just –"

Anna stopped short when Elsa suddenly raised her hand and waved. She followed Elsa's gaze to the door, where the broad-shouldered blonde stood, taking up most of the doorway. He looked around before spotting them.

She tried to stop her eyes from wandering, but his grey cotton shirt accentuated the bulk of his shoulders and chest, the sleeves coming down to the middle of his forearms. He wore baggy jeans and those same work boots he'd been wearing yesterday. Peeling her eyes away from his stomach, firm beneath his hugging shirt, she shot him a wide grin.

"Hey!" She called, hanging onto the word a little too long than was necessary. "Hey, hi."

"Hi," he replied, sitting down at the little round chair opposite her.

"I'm Olaf! You must be Anna's friend," Olaf said, his eyes glowing with enthusiasm behind his glasses. "I'll get you a drink, don't worry. Make yourself comfortable!"

"Yeah, hi," Kristoff said, shaking Olaf's outstretched hand. "Kris. Kristoff. Thanks." He nodded in Elsa's direction.

"Hi," Elsa politely greeted in return.

A split-second passed, heavy with expectation as they all looked to Anna. She was twisting her fingers in her lap, unsure of what to say. Then she looked up and took a deep breath.

"So!" she began. "No drink spilling scheduled for tonight." She chuckled awkwardly, and so did he. "I mean, not intentionally. Hopefully."

"Great," he said. Then, "So, a job, eh?"

"Yeah!" Anna said, trying not to sound too relieved that he'd instigated casual conversation. She was also trying hard not to catch her lip with her teeth every time she caught his blue eyes beneath that unruly mop of blonde. "Yeah, I start at the House on Monday. The Publishing House, that is. Westergard."

Kristoff sucked in air through his teeth.

"Fancy place," he mocked. "You sure you'll fit in there?"

Instantly he regretted those words. He was not one to put down pretty girls. And Anna was definitely a pretty girl. A _very _pretty girl, he admitted to himself, though he wouldn't let anyone know it. Her face fell a little bit, and Kristoff instantly felt a pang of guilt and shame. Then she covered her down-turned lips with a great smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. He licked his lips anxiously, glancing down at his hand resting on the table.

"Yeah, I'm not one for heels," she chuckled. "I think it's mostly a desk job, though, so it'll probably be fine."

Kristoff chuckled back, somewhat reserved. Anna had heard what he said, but for some reasons his words had cut a bit deeper than she wanted them to. Kristoff was just a stranger – she basically only knew his name. Why should it matter what he thought? _Maybe because you hoped_… no. Anna shook the thoughts from her head.

Olaf came back at that moment, setting down a pint of beer in front of Anna's new friend. Then he hotched over back into his seat beside Elsa.

"Well, congratulations. I hope they treat you well." The stranger opposite Anna raised his glass and tilted it in her direction, throwing her a half-smile, before knocking back his glass.


End file.
